Daily Republican., 1887-11-22
TIE BUFFER M0lEY.
BY MRS. MARY c. HUNaERFoRp.

| ars. JACOB Berry was not a person
to be easily refused. So when she told
Mr.. Berry that the correct thing for
him to do was to give the girls the
profits of the poultry yard, MI. Berry
consented, on condition that he should
be spared all care of the fowls.
Not many days later Mrs. Berry
fuade her second demand, namely. =
proposition that all the money from
butter selling should be hers Mr.,
Berry, who began TO fear that no ready
money opportunities would be left tc
MN, was SLOW TO consent, and when a,
last he yielded the point made the con.
oltlon that the arrangement for both
butter and poultry profits should only
continue for one year, and then, hav
ing made this last concession TO the
women of his family, Mr.. Berry
walked off sulkily to his most distan,
meadow, feeling disgusted with him
self and hoping inwardly that Squire
Layton and old Mr.. Jones would neye,
learn Of his weakness.
lie was never short Of butter, as ht
had inwardly predicted, nor did hi
need to complain of the scarcity O
eggs, for hot, buttered toast, poachet
eggs and delicious omelets wer,
heaped upon his table. But no on,
else in his house lived so Iiotously, fol
Mrs. Berry and her daughters wer,
hiding deep and we'll laid plans fp
money saving and money getting, ant
rigid selt-denial was strong feature O
their scheme.
The four women seemed to live tina
year only to work and save, but will
1t all they were happy as birds TAei
wonderful spirits were the talk Of til,
neighborhood, which Immediately be
gan to search for the source of suol
perpetual pleasure. A clue was founc
at last 10 some carelessly dropped
words OF Mr. Berry's, and Squire Lay
ton and Mr.. Jones soon attacked th,
good man, as he feared they would
forcing Confession and plying hin
tor his weakness while upbraiding hin
for his folly, which they said, woult
set every woman in the parish on t
persecute her husband into doing the
same thing that he had done.
| Poor Mr.. Berry after awhile begar
to look upon himself as much abused
man, and made no secret of his deter.
mination to order things Different,
when the year was up. He even at.
tempted to make Mrs. Berry recon
slider and give up the privilege of tn,
butter money, being instigsted by
Squire Layton, who lad an inbred be
lief that women folks, even the bes
on 'em, warn't fit ter be trusted will
money. They've had extravagan
notions ever since Mother EYES day
an they'd fairly sell themselves to
good clothes," said the sagacious man
The women OF the neighborhoot
discussed the Berry's affairs in tn,
most exhaustive manner and by thei
frequent, i'll timed visits Of discover,
gave the industrious family much in
convenience.
The Berrys wanted to stand wei
with their neighbors, but nerved by &
secret purpose both mother ant
daughters worked on in spite of criti
cism, which gradually grew untriend
ly.
At last the year was within a few
days OF its expiration and one brigh
spring afternoon Mrs Berry asked
PA, as Mr. Berry was called by hi.
family. 10 take her out for a few ''ar
rants" Surprise made Mr.. Berry al
most incapable of Harvesting the ole
roam TO the Boston chaise, that was
bought the year OF their wedding,
when his wife went on to tell him, as
they logged slong, that her mysterious
errands were calls at each neighbor 6
door TO Invite them one and all to a tea
party.
"There'll be too big crowd to sit
to table" she explained at each
place, "but we'll fix up some stands
an manage somehow"
Pa looked quite limp and disconso.
late after the last house had been visit.
ed and the horses ink nose was
turned cheerfully toward home.
"You're sure, be yer, ma, that you've
got the means in hand fer entertainin'
friends athouth goin' inter debt fer
things. We've been the slaves OF
debt long enough not ter want to take
on any more OF 1t"
Don't worry, pa" was all the an.
swer his wife made, but she said it in
jolly, CHEEKY way that SO far braced
hIm up that he could not get low
spirited, even when the squire walked
into the barn, as he did nearly every
day, for "a talk on matters and
things" as the men were wont to cal
their own discussions on their neigh
hors in distinction from women's gos
sip.
These talks had lately become very
dreary, for Jacob Berry and the
squire had both adopted the idea that
the formers affairs, having fallen into
the hands of women, were swiftly go
ing to the bad.
Mrs. Berry had always been thought
little st;ong minded. She was never
afraid to speak in meeting, nor in open
Sunday school, nor to read reports at
the Women's Auxiliary Missionary
Meeting, nor to do anything of the
kind. She was resolute. seli-reliant
woman. but 30 kind hearted that she
was general favorite in the commu-
nifty.
She had been too much engrossed in
something during the past year to be
much like herself but she was the
same dear, old woman they had al.
ways loved as she welcomed her guests
when the day of the tea party came.
They had been invited for FIVE
O'Clock, and at half.past five the sup.
per was served. The parlor and sit
ting-room communicated and both
rooms were full.